Frere-Jones: Typeface Mechanics

11 February 2015

Before I read the article I did not fully appreciate that these nuances existed in something like type design. The parallels with other design disciplines are obvious to draw but most interesting to me is that day to day, the digital, pixel-based world I make my living in posits that if it “is (mathematically) right”, then it follows that “it’ll look right”.

It’s always wonderful to be reminded of crafts that exist outside the digital space where “if it looks right, it is right” is the mantra. It talks to the skill of the craftsperson to know this and — more importantly — to know how to get it right.